Collection of Shenko-Centric Drabbles
by htewing
Summary: Shenko drabbles from the entire trilogy in no particular order, a number from prompts on my tumblr. Focus on my Marrakech Shepard, from Chiaroscuro.
1. Nursery Shopping

I've just been doing a lot of drabbling recently but it's all been on my tumblr, so I guessed I'd throw some over here. Everything is in no particular order, this is just sort of a catch-all.

* * *

Kaidan walked back into the Loft, finding Shepard sitting at her terminal. She was leaned back in her chair, one hand manipulating her computer terminal and the other gently resting on her swollen abdomen. He stepped behind her and kissed the top of her head, leaning down to rest his hands on top of her belly. "Hey," he murmured.

"Hey." She leaned back so he could capture her lips. "Anything world-shaking I have to worry about?"

He shook his head. "How are you feeling?"

She sighed, rubbing a small circle on her stomach with her palm. "Like a damn whale," she replied. "And this one –" She poked her left side. "—keeps moving, and I can't get any work done."

"She probably can't get comfortable." He kissed his wife's cheek and looked at the terminal. "Shopping?"

"Well, I'm not sure where _you_ expect these two to sleep," she retorted tiredly.

Kaidan gave her a worried glance. "Shepard, the meeting with the Council is tomorrow."

"To determine if the quarians, geth, and krogan deserve their embassies, I know."

"Are you going to be up to it?"

She shrugged. "I'll have to be."

"Shepard …" He rubbed her shoulders. "If you aren't, they'll understand."

"I'll be fine, Kai. Promise."

"Okay, but don't be on your feet too long. I would hate to have to bust into a Council meeting." Shepard laughed, then winced and rubbed another spot on her stomach.

"Now you woke your sister up," she scolded, looking down at her belly. "I swear they already exist to torment me."

"Well. Only a couple more months, and they'll be tormenting me too." He kissed her neck, earning a satisfied hum and a small smile. He glanced at the screen again, then narrowed his eyes. "Where are you having everything delivered?"

She glanced up at him, surprised. "Here. Obviously."

"Shepard." He rubbed her shoulders again. "Shepard, we have an apartment on the Citadel."

Shepard looked legitimately confused. "Yeah …"

"We're not raising our daughters on the _Normandy_. There's not enough room."

"But …"

"Shepard. We talked about this."

He knew it'd be hard for her. She'd always lived on ships – because of her father's death in First Contact she'd _needed_ to accompany her mother on assignments. But he hadn't. He'd been born and raised on Earth, and he'd have insisted they take the guest house in Vancouver if Shepard hadn't decided to first continue functioning as a Spectre while the galaxy rebuilt, and then finally let Hackett push her into the still-vacant Council seat when she'd found out she was pregnant. Hell, he would have handed over the _Normandy_ by now if she hadn't insisted on the Alliance giving it to her in the interest of keeping galactic peace. And with her as Councilor and him as a Spectre, the ship was technically his.

Though, of course, if she gave an order it'd automatically override his because Joker almost refused to listen to anyone else if she was on board.

"We never agreed to that!" Shepard argued.

"Yes, we did, Shepard. Besides, you're looking at buying _that_." He pointed to the screen. "I want to know where you _think_ you can put that on this ship."

Shepard frowned.

"Maybe when they're a little older we can go back to ships, sweetheart. But not now."

Shepard didn't answer him, and he sighed and moved further into the cabin, dropping down onto the sofa and fishing for a datapad. Since finding out she was pregnant and subsequently adopting the Council seat, she'd given up flat-out yelling if they were starting to get into an argument for merely falling silent and ignoring him. Unfortunately for her, he had her plan down and the best way to deal with it was to ignore her right back.

A few minutes later, she sank down next to him on the couch and adjusted herself slightly before leaning onto him. He wrapped his arm around her, interlacing his fingers with the hand on her stomach.

"I'm sorry," she murmured. "It's just …" Shepard sighed. "I've never really lived in one place for more than six months."

"I know." He set his datapad aside and wrapped her more fully in his arms. "It's fine. We'll do this together, one step at a time."

She took a deep breath, then looked up at him and smiled. "One step at a time."


	2. Room Space

_**Prompt: Shepard and Kaidan negotiating room space?**_

* * *

Kaidan wrapped his arm around Shepard, her legs slung across his and head on his shoulder as they stared out the window on the observation deck. He couldn't tell if she'd fallen asleep on him or not, though it wouldn't have surprised him. She'd been running herself ragged lately, after all.

"I was thinking," Shepard finally mumbled, shifting slightly. "You basically moved into the Loft. You should probably just take the rest of your stuff up there."

"You asking me to move in, Shepard?"

"Like you haven't already?" she teased. One hand idly played with part of his uniform. "I'm just thinking about making it official."

"Hm." Kaidan frowned, and Shepard glanced up at him.

"Kaidan, it's the apocalypse. No one's going to care if we're bunking together."

"I hadn't told you no, had I?" She rested her head back on his shoulder, and he rubbed a circle on her arm through her uniform. "You're going to have to share your desk, you know."

"No I'm not. You write all your reports on your datapad."

He nuzzled her hair. "What if I want to change that?"

"We can put a terminal on the side desk."

"Mm," he replied. "I'd rather save _that_ desk for other things."

Shepard gently smacked his chest, releasing a small, light laugh. "Of course you would," she replied. "And there's room for another locker under the bed. One thing though." She held up a finger.

"What's that?"

"The hamster shelf is non-negotiable. Tribbles needs his room."

"I think I can agree to that." Kaidan rubbed her arm. "Anything else?"

"Yeah. Rule number one of the captain's quarters." She adjusted so their noses were barely touching. "Major Kaidan Alenko isn't allowed to wear shirts."

"What sort of rule is that?" he protested. She laughed. "Well, if I'm not allowed to wear shirts … you shouldn't be allowed to wear anything."

Shepard laughed again, and Kaidan pressed her back into the couch, lips pressing into hers. "All right," he murmured. "Maybe I'll let you wear something occasionally. Something … nice."

"I think I can stand that," she replied. "As long as the no-shirt rule is kept."

"Consider it kept." Kaidan captured her lips again.

"Just be lucky I didn't tell you that the rule was no shirt and assless chaps," she murmured.

As so often happened in their conversations, Kaidan wasn't sure how to answer. "Uh … _what_, Shepard?"


	3. Wrex!

_**Prompt from jedibubbles: Baby Shepard-Alenko's first word is Wrex.**_

* * *

"Okay, come on, sweetheart." Shepard frowned at Ashley, still half in the throes of the tantrum she'd been throwing not an hour before, her mouth stubbornly shut. Shepard looked down at the spoon in her hand helplessly.

She was right. She was an awful mother. She couldn't even get a toddler to eat properly.

Ashley's twin, Adelaide, sat happily in her chair cooing over her toys despite having been done eating for nearly a half hour. Thank everything at least one twin had gotten Kaidan's patience.

The front door opened, and she grumbled under her breath before yelling back. "Kai, I need your magic."

Kaidan's hand clasped over hers, and he kissed her cheek. "What happened?"

Shepard shrugged. "One minute she was calm and playing with her hanar. The next moment she's wreaking holy hell and trying to break things with her biotics."

"How long ago?"

"About an hour."

He took the spoon. "Okay, Ash, here comes Uncle Joker with the Normandy—"

Shepard shook her head as he got Ash to open her mouth and dropped the spoonful into her mouth. She gently patted his backside as she moved to get Adelaide out of the chair. "Come on," she said as she hefted the toddler out and onto her hip just as the doorbell rang.

Shepard hurried to answer, surprised to open it and find a large bulk of krogan. "Didn't know you were on the Citadel, Wrex."

He chuckled. "Bakara's here checking on the Embassy. I thought I'd come by and check on my favorite humans."

Shepard stepped aside, letting him in. The tip of a glove-covered finger tweaked Adelaide's nose. "Kaidan's getting Ashley to eat. She was in fine form earlier."

"Takes after her mother, apparently."

Shepard chuckled.

Adelaide wriggled on her hip, babbling underneath their conversation with her arms extended to the krogan. Apparently dissatisfied with the lack of attention, she finally let out a loud shriek.

"Wrex!"

Shepard and Wrex stopped talking, Wrex's attention attracted to the toddler and Shepard's mouth hanging slightly open. The girl giggled, and repeated herself. Kaidan stuck his head out of the kitchen.

"Did she just …"

"Yeah," Shepard replied, still slightly stunned.

"Well," Wrex chortled, scooping her out of her mother's arms. "Who am I to deny that?"


	4. You Don't Use That Word

_**Prompt: Jack teaches Shepard's kids the word "fuck"**_

* * *

"You're sure you're fine," Shepard repeated hesitantly. Damn formal functions, this one announcing the reopening of the quarian embassy (now cohabitated by the geth) with Tali as the new ambassador. As the human councilor now she and Kaidan were required to attend, and both Traynor and Chakwas were unavailable. That left her in an awful position.

With only Jack, Joker, and EDI to watch the twins.

Jack waved her hand. "We've got this shi—stuff."

"Yeah …" Shepard trailed off. "Just call me if you need me. Please. Just in case."

"We'll be fine," Joker said. Ashley already had his hat jammed on her head, curled up and trying to show him her favorite stuffed hanar.

Feeling only _slightly_ better about leaving her children in the hands of three of her closest friends, she turned and left.

#

"She said _what_?" Shepard demanded again. The asari stared pointedly at her, and Ashley squirmed uncomfortably in her seat.

"So you know where she could have learned this?"

Shepard's eyes narrowed, her lips pursing into a narrow line as she brought up her omni-tool. "EDI?"

::_Yes, Shepard_.::

"Did Jack decide to use any unsavory language around the girls?"

EDI was silent for a while. ::_Once, Shepard._::

Shepard sighed. "Tell her she's fired from sitting."

::_I hope she won't kill us._::

"She'll be fine. Anyway, not my problem." She hung up. "I apologize. I'll make sure she doesn't do it again."

The asari nodded, and Shepard pulled Ashley to her feet.

"Come on," Shepard said as she led her out of the office. "I'm going to let your father deal with this."

#

Kaidan closed the door behind him, cracking his neck. That was why he didn't see the hand that jumped out of the living room arch, dragging him straight into the room. Ashley sat sulking on the couch, arms crossed and lip jutting out. Adelaide spotted him and ran over.

"What's wrong?" he looked between his wife and daughter as he swung Adelaide into his arms. She giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"'Lee got in trouble," she tattled.

"Apparently," Shepard said, arms crossed very similarly to Ashley's. "_Someone_used a certain word in school today."

"And what was that?"

Shepard leaned in and murmured it. Kaidan nodded. "That's what I thought."

"I need to you explain to her why that isn't a word we say," Shepard continued. "I tried to, and, well …" She motioned at the sulking child.

Kaidan lowered Adelaide to the ground. "Next time we should _probably_ see if James and Cortez are free, and _they_ can watch them with EDI."

"Or just not go to any more formal functions."

"Or that," Kaidan said with a short laugh, moving to kneel in front of his daughter. Shepard hunkered down next to Adelaide.

"Want to help mommy with dinner?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Mommy?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"What does 'fuck' mean?"

Shepard nearly broke into tears as Kaidan retrieved her and dropped her on the couch next to her sister.

#

Shepard leaned on the counter heavily, glass of bourbon in hand. Kaidan planted his hands on either side of her, kissing her neck.

"Girls in bed?" she murmured, turning slightly to meet his lips.

"Yeah."

"I," she continued, ducking her head back towards the bourbon. "I am a horrible mother."

"No, you aren't." He wrapped his arms around her waist. "I agreed that Jack would probably be okay sitting, after all."

She sighed, lips curling into a small grin. "I am going to _kill_ her."

Kaidan chuckled, lips rumbling against her neck. "You know what I think?"

"Hm?"

"You're the best mom on the Citadel."


	5. Hannah Shepard

_**Prompt: Crew meets Shepard's parents. Or parent. Any Mass Effect is okay.**_

* * *

Shepard hated formal functions, especially this type. She sipped the glass of bourbon she was nursing from her spot on the wall next to the seated Joker. The helmsman looked strange without his signature hat and instead in dress blues.

"You know, Commander," he started. "Hell of a party for some big heroes out here."

She nodded her agreement. "I'll drink to that."

"Anyone notice you missing yet?"

She nodded to Kaidan, who shortly slumped against the wall next to her.

"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me," Joker muttered.

"Commander." Kaidan nodded at her.

"Lieutenant." Their eyes lingered a second too long, at least one and possibly both of their gazes thick with longing. She tore hers away and drew a deep breath.

It had been a week since Ilos – since the Battle of the Citadel for the rest of the galaxy, but since Ilos for them. They'd been too busy – first with hearings, then with ceremonies – to talk about what had happened, or what they were, or even if they _were_ anything at all. She sincerely hoped they _were_ something, but it wasn't like life on a ship taught her a lot about relationships. "How's the crew?"

He nodded towards one corner of the room. Adams, Pressley, and Chakwas were attempting to keep them in line, though several of the crewmembers were obviously intoxicated. She sighed. "I should have known."

"They deserve it, ma'am," Kaidan murmured.

"Never said they didn't." She smiled at him as he, almost invisibly, brushed her arm. The smile was returned, and Joker rolled his eyes.

"If you two are gonna eye-fuck each other all night, I'm out," he muttered.

"Shut up." Shepard took another sip, watching as Garrus managed to rescue Liara from a knot of admirers and started to usher her over. "Great, Vakarian's going to blow my cover."

"What are you doing over here?" A woman's voice suddenly asked. All three straightened up and saluted – Joker in his chair – as a woman wearing a captain's stripes appeared in front of them.

"Uh … hiding," Shepard replied, motioning at the wide room ahead of her. "People watching."

"It's _your_ party, Marrakech. You should be out there."

Kaidan and Joker exchanged a look behind her back.

"I don't … ugh. Permission to—"

The woman waved her hand. "You always do."

"Mom, you know I hate this shit."

There was another look exchanged as Garrus finally finished ushering Liara and Tali over to them. "Marrakech –" She glanced at the now-collected members of her crew. "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

Shepard sighed. "Lieutenant Moreau, Lieutenant Alenko, Officer Vakarian, Miss Tali'Zorah, and Miss Liara T'soni." She motioned to each in turn. "Guys, this is my mother, Captain Shepard."

Liara's mouth formed a small O as Garrus' mandibles fluttered slightly. "Ma'am," Kaidan said immediately. She smiled at him and gave him a slight nod.

"She's not running you all ragged, is she?" Captain Shepard asked. "Giving you all a break from saving the galaxy occasionally?"

"Ha!" Joker said, almost immediately. Shepard glared at him.

"It hasn't been all bad," Garrus said. "Couple of crazy moments here or there."

"I can only imagine." She smiled at her daughter, and Shepard felt the back of her neck starting to flush. "Hell of a thing you've done, sweetheart." She looked back over her shoulder. "Oh. Keep in touch, Marrakech."

"I will, Mom." They watched her hurry off, back to where Hackett was talking to another collection of Alliance officers.

Kaidan was frozen in place. Before she'd left, she'd given him a knowing look. Did she know? How could she have? He hadn't given them away – there was no way.

"You look suddenly terrified," Tali commented, and Kaidan took a deep breath.

"I'm fine." He forced a smile. "It's just not every day you meet your superior officer's mother."

"Yeah, sure that was it," Joker said. "It isn't like you're—"

"Aw, shit," Shepard interrupted. They looked up, spotting the asari councilor making her way over. "God damn it."

Across the room, Hannah Shepard managed to catch her daughter's eye and nod at the lieutenant, then give her a smile. Shepard narrowed her eyes at her before her attention was taken over by the councilor.

It was about time someone caught her daughter's attention.


	6. Prefab Nightmares

Shepard was reclined in the rocking nursery chair, hands tented over her stomach. Kaidan glanced at her, then back at the wreck of a crib in front of him, wondering how much he'd have to pay Garrus or Tali or both for help.

"Having trouble?" she asked from her perch, indicating that she wasn't asleep like he'd thought.

"It's fine," Kaidan answered, rubbing his forehead and frowning at the so-called "instructions." If he was going to get Garrus to help he'd definitely have to get rid of those.

"Need any help?"

He sighed, looking back over at her. Since it was so soon after the war and she was still considered necessary for the rebuilding (since she refused to sit on the sidelines), she'd _finally_ been put on bedrest. It was all Kaidan could do to limit her to brief walks between different parts of the house, even though she insisted she could still work.

"No, Marra. It's fine."

Shepard frowned, but stayed settled in her chair with only a grimace when a small foot kicked into her diaphragm.

She'd always hated the color pink, and she'd _just _been able to weasel out of a pink nursery when they knew the twins were girls. They'd gotten his mom to compromise for a light, cheery purple and, at Shepard's fervent pleading, space as their theme. It went together better than he'd expected – the planet and starship mobiles and blankets looked perfect against the walls.

The cribs – Shepard had insisted on round ones because she thought they were different and didn't want a normal nursery – were the last things he needed to put together. And right now, he regretted not talking her out of them. These were a bitch.

And now he was _sure_ she'd fallen asleep.

Kaidan smiled slightly. It hadn't been easy on her – she was carrying a pair of biotic children and could hardly take in enough calories, she was still just coming out of the shock and depression and twinges of PTSD she'd been in after the war. The added stress of a high-risk pregnancy and still trying to sort out the galaxy … he loved her, but damn was she stubborn.

He left the fragments of the crib and leaned over her, kissing her forehead. "Shepard?"

"Mm?" Her eyelids flickered.

"Need anything?"

"Hungry."

Not a surprise. "Anything specific?"

"Hmmm." Her forehead scrunched, but her eyes stayed closed. "Ice cream and bacon."

He snorted. "Together?"

"Real bacon, not that vat-grown shit," she continued. "Crumbled up on top of the ice cream."

Kaidan shook his head, not bothering to hide the grin on his face. Half the time he was convinced she did this just to watch him run around. "What flavor?"

Her eyes shot open. "Of _bacon_?!" He stifled a laugh.

"No. Ice cream."

"Oh. Uh … do they still have that blue raspberry at that shop?"

"I think so." He kissed her nose, then lingered on her lips, and Shepard smiled as he kissed each side of her stomach. "I'll be back before you know it."

"You better," she replied. "Or else it'll go away again."

Kaidan laughed and kissed her again before setting off. "And don't try to put that together by yourself!"

"I won't, Kai!" she called after him, though she did open her omni-tool.

_Anyone want to help a pair of Spectres put together a pair of cribs? - Shepard_


	7. Breakfast

_**Imagine your OTP in the morning. Person A is cooking breakfast. Person B groggily shambles into the kitchen to find that Person A has already prepared them their everyday morning drink just the way they like it.**_

* * *

Shepard nearly stumbled over her crutch as she drowsily fumbled her way to the kitchen, finally collapsing in her chair and throwing the offensive implement aside. Kaidan glanced back from the stove, a dish towel thrown over one broad shoulder. She scrubbed at one of her eyes.

"Morning," he said.

"Hrmph," she replied, head dropping onto her arms.

Kaidan chuckled and turned away, setting a plate and a mug in front of her and leaning down to kiss the side of her head. She lifted her head, sniffing. "Are those real eggs?"

"Cost a lot, but yeah." He returned to the stove, dropping the towel onto the counter and shutting the burner down before returning to the table with his own breakfast. Shepard grabbed the mug, letting the smell of coffee fill her nostrils as she took one, then two, deep breaths.

"Mm," she moaned quietly. Kaidan watched her for a few seconds as she savored the first few sips (as always), then quickly drained the mug and set it on the table, glancing around for the carafe. He grinned and nudged it towards her.

"I love you," Shepard said wholeheartedly, seizing it. He grinned and gently reached for her hand as he picked up his fork.


	8. Nursery Decorating

_**Imagine your OTP decorating their future child's room. Person A is oddly obsessed with decorating it perfectly, and Person B finds it very funny/charming.**_

* * *

"I don't care if they're girls. Their. Room. will. Not. Be. Pink."

Kaidan sighed, studying the paint chips his mother had thrust at them earlier that week. "Mom is convinced that —"

"I. Don't. Want. It. To. Be. Pink. Why can't we go with a blue, or a nice green or something?"

He sighed and pressed a kiss to her cheek, wrapping an arm around her so it rested on her stomach. "She's insisting."

"She doesn't have to live with it," Shepard grumbled. "She probably wants it to be a fluffy bunny theme or something, huh?"

"Close enough."

"I want space. I told you I wanted a space theme. I already ordered things!" She stuck her lip out in a pout. Kaidan tapped the table, sighing when she rested her head on his shoulder. "What about this? This'll go with the things I'd picked out."

"This one?" He held up the lavender chip, and she nodded. "All right. I'll get the paint in the morning."

"Good. I think it'll be perfect." She snuggled closer to him, and he rested his head on hers and chuckled. "What?"

"Just you. Being so detailed about this. It's a nursery, not an enemy assault." He kissed her hair. "I love you."

Shepard trailed her fingers along his thigh, smiling quietly. "I love you too, Kai."


	9. Injured in the Line of Duty

_**Imagine your OTP when one person has suffered a fairly mild non-life threatening injury and the other person is giving them a lot of TLC.**_

* * *

Shepard had run faster than she'd thought she'd be able to when she heard a loud expletive from their apartment's kitchen, leaving Adelaide and Ashley temporarily in the living room. Kaidan was running water over his hand, knife still on the cutting board where he'd been cutting up some vegetable for whatever he was cooking. "Kai—"

He barely looked up. "Knife slipped. I'm fine."

"What? Slipped where? Hold on, I'll get the first aid." Shepard flung open a drawer, pulling out their small stock of bandages and medigel. "Let me see."

"Shepard, I have medic training, it's just a cut."

She shushed him and pulled his hand out from under the water, checking the slice in his pointer finger. Kaidan rolled his eyes but let her, knowing it made her feel better. Shepard smeared medigel on it, then carefully wrapped it in a piece of gauze medical tape. "There we go. I can take over if—"

"Sweetheart." He cupped her face in his hands, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. "I've been shot, stabbed, exploded, nearly turned into a husk, and hit by a mako. I'm fine."

She managed a weak smile and gave him a small kiss back. "I'm sorry. I—"

"It's the mom in you." He grinned and kissed her again. "I-"

There was a bang from the living room, and Shepard suddenly sprinted back for the living room.

"_Ashley Danae Alenko_!"

Kaidan chuckled and picked his knife back up.


	10. Off Your Feet

_**Imagine person A giving person B a foot rub.**_

* * *

"Hold still."

Shepard groaned, leaning back heavily on the sofa. Kaidan tugged off her boots and socks so her feet were bare and propped them in his lap. She closed her eyes, resting her arm over her eyes as she sunk back into the Normandy's couch.

"It's weird," she sighed, as his thumbs rubbed small circles on the ball of her foot. "Not used to someone fawning on me like this."

Kaidan leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her swollen belly. "Get used to it, Shepard. You won't let anyone take over your job so you're on your feet far too often."

"No one else runs this ship like I do," she complained, her voice ending in a quiet sigh when he hit one of the sore spots on her feet. Noting it, he circled his thumbs on that spot. "Besides, the only other person who'd be in charge would be Joker, and the universe would go to hell."

He chuckled, glancing up at her as she relaxed further into the cushion, letting her hands rest on her stomach. "And of course the universe would go to hell in the absence of Captain Shepard."

She smirked tiredly. "Eh. It might do all right one of these days."


	11. Bathtime

_**Imagine your OTP bathing together. Person A is sitting behind Person B, gently washing their hair and sometimes leaning forward and placing a kiss on their shoulder.**_

* * *

Shepard closed her eyes, her hands resting on her heavily rounded stomach. Kaidan reached around her for her shampoo, pressing his chest into her back while taking care to not disturb her too much. When it wasn't far enough his hand glinted the smallest, brightest blue, and the bottle rose off the side of the tub and darted for his hand. She winced when someone jammed a tiny fist into an organ, and Kaidan gently kissed her neck as he resettled himself behind her.

"Your daughters," she started.

"Are perfect," he continued, running his hands through her damp hair. "Like their mother."

"I was going to say 'are delighting in tormenting me—'"

"Also, like their mother."

Shepard glanced back at him, but wasn't able to resist a small smile at his face. "Fair enough, I suppose."

Kaidan kissed her shoulder, one hand still massaging her shampoo into her hair as the other slipped around to rest on her belly, leaving a streak of suds behind it that were quickly washed off by the bathwater.

"You know," she continued. "Bed rest doesn't mean I can't wash my own hair."

He grinned at her, going back to working her hair into a sudsy mess. "But it does mean I can pamper you all I want and you can't fight me."

"I suppose," she replied with mock resignation. He chuckled, grabbing for their handheld shower-head.

"Hold still."


	12. Good Morning

_**Imagine your otp, waking up beside each other, having A have their arm over B, kissing one another good morning.**_

* * *

Kaidan always made it a point to wake up first, Shepard curled in his arms with her back firmly against his chest. He loved how it felt, to have her pressed so closely to him, their fingers laced together even in sleep. She hadn't seemed to dream that night, though maybe they just had been rare good ones. It meant she was still solidly against him, still beautifully asleep, her lips slightly parted and her dark red hair loose between her shoulders and his chest. He closed his eyes, resting his forehead on the top of her head and letting the scent of her shampoo, still so unchanged after three years, fill his senses. He'd dreamed about that repeatedly over the years, the soft smell of vanilla and smallest hint of jasmine haunting him.

She moved slightly as he pressed a kiss just under her ear, trailing his fingers along the shirt she was wearing. His shirt, actually — he'd found it stolen not four days after they'd reconciled and she'd invited him back into her bed. A small, contented yawn parted her lips, and she blinked drearily before glancing up at the man leaning over her.

"Hey, Kaidan," she said softly, voice still heavy with the threat of sleep.

"Hey, Shepard," he echoed, leaning down to kiss the corner of her mouth. "I love you."

A small smile crossed Shepard's face as she turned in his arms, her hand rubbing his arm. "What'd you do this time, Major?" she replied with mock sternness.

"Not sure," he replied. "But I have been the victim of several robberies recently."

Shepard laughed when he trailed his fingers up her side, playing over her hip and tugging his shirt up a little over her taut stomach. "Such as this shirt."

"You weren't using it," she defended. "Shouldn't have left it laying out."

He hummed, leaning down to seize her lips in a surprisingly possessive kiss. "Maybe I should just take it back, then."

"Maybe you should." That devious glint was back in her eyes, and Kaidan grinned wider as he pressed her back into the bed, covering her body with his own. "We've got just enough time before someone comes looking for you to try."


	13. Blasto VII At The Drive-In

_**Imagine your OTP going on a date to a drive-in movie theater and, halfway through the movie, climbing in the back seat to make out.**_

* * *

"Why are we even doing this?"

Kaidan shrugged, resting his hand on Shepard's over the center console of the parked skycar. "Thought it might be a good change of pace."

She rolled her eyes. "But the new Blasto movie? 'Blasto once met Commander Shepard and won.' Please. Hanar Spectre or not, I could take that asshole."

He laughed, lining over to press a kiss to her temple.

"Besides, drive-in movies went out of style over three hundred years ago."

"They haven't rebuilt any of the theatres yet. They thought it'd be good for morale."

Shepard huffed, then glanced over at Kaidan with a diabolical grin on her face. "You know what they used to do in drive-ins, right?"

He did, but he humored her by raising his eyebrow. "And what was that, sweetheart?"

Shepard wiggled into the backseat, motioning him after her. It was a bit harder for him to make it through the seats, but he did. As soon as he was settled Shepard's hand fisted in the front of his shirt, capturing his lips. Kaidan hummed into her, hand settling on the side of her neck.

Yes, this was _much_ better than Blasto VII.


	14. Camping

_**Imagine your OTP waking up during sunrise atop a grassy hill, snuggling up against each other.**_

* * *

Kaidan, as usual, was the first to wake, taking the time to look at his sleeping wife before she would be up and running around as if she were still juggling fifteen different missions at once. He cast a quick glance back at the tent behind them, satisfied that their children were still asleep, and leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to her shoulder. "I love you," he murmured, wrapping his arm tighter around her waist as she stirred, slowly opening her eyes. "Morning."

"Morning, Kaidan." Shepard turned in his arms so they were face-to-face, kissing him gently. The rising sun played over the silver decorating his hair, the mark of age and frustration that she loved. He chuckled back in his throat, pressing their foreheads together. "How're the girls?"

"Still asleep."

"I doubt they'll be for long."

Kaidan chuckled again, running his fingers along Shepard's arm. "No, they do seem to sense when we're awake."

Shepard stared at him for a few minutes, a small smile playing over her lips. "I love you," she murmured finally. Kaidan trailed his fingers through her hair, a wide grin splitting his face.

"I love you too."


End file.
